
These pork tenderloin sliders are incredibly easy to make and perfect for a game-day party or casual family dinner. They’re tender medallions of pork, pan-seared, coated in a simple 2-ingredient sauce, and topped with sweet, caramelized onions – a simple concept that packs a flavorful punch.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
This recipe was originally posted in January 2015 and updated with additional information and new photos in January 2025.
Often, when we end up with leftover roasted pork tenderloin, we slice it thin and use it for sandwiches with homemade honey mustard. That’s how we came up with the idea for these sweet and savory sliders made with quick-cooking pork medallions. The recipe concept is versatile, too. You can follow the recipe and serve the pork as an entrée with mashed potatoes and a veggie. The caramelized onion and potato combo is to die for.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- PORK TENDERLOIN: This tender, boneless cut of pork is relatively small, weighing only 1 to 1-1/4 pounds on average, and is often sold in a two-pack. It doesn’t have a lot of marbling so it’s important to follow the recipe’s timing to prevent overcooking.
- MAPLE SYRUP: We like maple syrup for this recipe for its mild, caramel-like sweetness and light texture. You could substitute honey, but you would want to cut back the quantity by at least a tablespoon because it is quite a bit sweeter. It’s also thicker so it won’t be as easy to work with.
- GRAINY MUSTARD: Grainy mustard has a robust, tangy flavor with a bit of heat from the mustard seeds, making it a nice complement to the maple syrup. You could substitute Dijon-style if necessary.

How To Make Pork Tenderloin Sliders
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
PREPARE THE PORK TENDERLOIN: Trim the pork tenderloin of any silver skin or excess fat and slice it into 1/2-inch thick medallions. Lightly season them on both sides with salt and pepper, then set them aside until ready to cook.
MAKE THE CARAMELIZED ONIONS: Heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions, cover the pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cover, raise the heat to medium and add the salt. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring frequently and loosening any browned bits that may accumulate on the bottom of the pan. Add the water and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are nicely caramelized.


MAKE THE MAPLE MUSTARD SAUCE: While the onions cook, combine the maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl. As soon as the onions are done, stir in 1-1/2 tablespoons of the maple mustard sauce then transfer them to a small bowl. Set the remainder of the sauce aside.
COOK THE PORK: Wipe out the pan you used to caramelize the onions, thinly coat the bottom with vegetable oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add half the pork slices in a single layer and sear until lightly browned, about 1-1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, add a little more oil if necessary and repeat with the remaining pork. Wipe any remaining oil from the pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Stir in the maple mustard sauce and heat until bubbly. Return the pork to the pan and, using a pair of tongs, turn the slices to coat with the sauce. Season with a little black pepper and remove from the heat.
ASSEMBLE THE SLIDERS: To serve, place one pork medallion on each slider roll and top with a spoonful of onions. If there is extra sauce, you can drizzle a little on each slider, then secure them with a pick if desired.
Make Ahead Instructions
For easy entertaining, you can make the sauce, cook the caramelized onions and pork in advance, and assemble the sliders just before serving.
For best results, take both the pork and the onions out of the refrigerator about an hour in advance, then heat the sauce in a pan over medium-low heat until bubbly. Heat the pork medallions in the sauce just long enough to take the chill off and warm slightly (1 to 1-1/2 minutes), then assemble the sliders.
Serving Suggestions
For a crowd-pleasing party spread, pair these pork sliders with chips, pretzels, or even a veggie platter for easy snacking. Or, to turn them into a complete meal, serve them with crispy fries (frozen or homemade), a side of creamy coleslaw, and some tangy pickle spears.

More Pork Tenderloin Recipes
Pork tenderloin is one of our favorite cuts of meat. It’s lean yet flavorful and pairs easily with all sorts of ingredients and seasonings. Here are a few different ways to prepare it:
- Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cabbage (a sweet and savory one-pan dish)
- Pork Medallions with Pineapple (a taste of the Caribbean with pineapple rum sauce)
- Pork Medallions with Chunky Apple Curry (fragrant ginger, curry powder, and a splash of cream)

Pork Tenderloin Sliders with Caramelized Onions
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin, (about 1 lb)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 12 slider buns
For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons grainy mustard
For the caramelized onions:
- 1-1/2 lbs onions (yellow or sweet), halved and sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Prepare the pork tenderloin:
- Trim the pork tenderloin of any silver skin or excess fat and slice it into 1/2-inch thick medallions. Lightly season them on both sides with salt and pepper, then set them aside until ready to cook.
Make the caramelized onions:
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions, cover the pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the cover, raise the heat to medium and add the salt. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring frequently and loosening any browned bits that may accumulate on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the water and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are nicely caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes longer.
Make the maple mustard sauce:
- While the onions cook, combine the maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl. As soon as the onions are done, stir in 1-1/2 tablespoons of the maple mustard sauce then transfer them to a small bowl. Set the remainder of the sauce aside.
Cook the pork:
- Wipe out the pan you used to caramelize the onions, thinly coat the bottom with vegetable oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add half the pork slices in a single layer and sear until lightly browned, about 1-1/2 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a plate, add a little more oil if necessary and repeat with the remaining pork. Wipe any remaining oil from the pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter.
- Stir in the maple mustard sauce and heat until bubbly. Return the pork to the pan and, using a pair of tongs, turn the slices to coat with the sauce. Season with a little black pepper and remove from the heat.
Assemble the sliders:
- To serve, place one pork medallion on each slider roll and top with a spoonful of onions. If there is extra sauce, you can drizzle a little on each slider, then secure them with a pick if desired.
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions
For entertaining, you can make the sauce, cook the caramelized onions and pork in advance, and assemble the sliders just before serving. For best results, take both the pork and the onions out of the refrigerator about an hour in advance, then heat the sauce in a pan over medium-low heat until bubbly. Heat the pork medallions in the sauce just long enough to take the chill off and warm slightly (1 to 1-1/2 minutes), then assemble the sliders.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.